GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS – Freeport-based attorney Thomas Dean is coming out in support of the Davis Administration’s new framework for Grand Bahama, after Prime Minister Philip Davis unveiled a new development framework last Wednesday.
The nation’s leader insists the plan could help rebuild Grand Bahama’s economy and create new opportunities.
Meanwhile, as views are split, notable attorney Thomas Dean believes government is doing the right thing.
Government’s three proposed reforms are designed to improve coordination, modernize existing arrangements and ensure development reaches communities beyond just Freeport, more specifically East and West Grand Bahama and the surrounding cays.
The prime minister also said the proposed Grand Bahama Development Act would go beyond simply replacing the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, but also establish a broader framework for island-wide planning, government coordination, and public accountability.
Under the current agreement, the GBPA, which is jointly owned by the St. George and Hayward families, must provide infrastructure in Freeport, constructing and administering the port area, and licensing businesses in exchange for various tax exemptions.
The current agreement is set to expire in 2054.
